The California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act would create 11,840 acres as a new Buzzards Peak Wilderness are, and add 10,860 acres to the existing Indian Pass Wilderness area. Both areas are within Imperial County.

These areas are an important part of the traditional homeland of the Quechan tribe, containing ancient trails, intaglios, rock alignments, sleeping circles, lithic scatter and other evidence of the tribe’s long history here.

The proposed Indian Pass additions and Buzzard Peak wilderness were left out of the 1994 California Desert Protection Act because of private ownership. But, these wild areas have since been purchased by private donors and gifted to the BLM for conservation.